Ballast-controlling apparatus.



S. LAKL BALLAST CONTROLIJN G- APPARATUS APPLHJATION FILED JUNBB, i514v Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

4-SHFETSSBEFT 1.

INVENTOR ,Sirrwm Jake,

A TTORIVEY WITNESSES: /616; 4%

S. LAKE.

BALLAST CONTROLLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8,1914.

Patented Feb. 9, 1915 4 SHEETS-SHEET Z INVENTOR rz/Iale.

' ATTORNEY WITNESSES:

LAKE.

BALLAST GONI'RL'ELLKNG APPARATUS APPLICATION l'lLL-I.$Jbl\'h8,1 li. 1,127,648, Patented Feb. 9, 1915 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

IIVVENTOR Shun/I212,

S. LAKE.

BALLAST CONTROLLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION nun) ulna, 1914.

1,127,648. Patented Feb. 9, 1915 4 SHEETS-$13 BET 4 tion, in the several figures of J parts are similarly designated, F1gu1 1-: is v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SIMON LAKE, 01'? MILFORD, CONNECTICUT. ASSIGNOR TO LAKE TORPEDO BOAT COMPANY OF MAINE, 'OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT. A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

BALLAST-CONTROLLING APPARATUS.

Specification'of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 9, 1915.v

Application filed June 8. 1914. Serial No. 843,802.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIMON LAKE, afClUZQD of the United States, residing at Milford,

in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Ballast- Controlling Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

'l he object of the invention is to provide a simple apparatus for controlling the final submergence and trim of submarine boats by \\hich one mar only is required for controlling the admission and expulsion of ater-tallast to and from the trimming and the final adjusting tanks of the boat, and by which the valves and connections to the indi idual tanks and the services ofa number of men for operating them is dispensed with, thus not only simplifying the operation, but putting the control of the final adjustment and trim of the boat under one person, the operation and arrangement of the apparatus 1 eing such that the admission and expulsion of the water to and from the several tanks, or the transferring of water from one tank t) the other, may be accomplished in less time than when attended to by several operators;

The invention consists in providing a single v alve casing having a series of passages v. h'ch are piped to the several tanks otthe boat, the passage of water through the pipes being controlled by valves arranged in the al e casing and operated by a single lever adjuL-tably mounted on the valve casing.

These and other featu res germa ae thereto, constitute the invention, as willbe hercinafter fully described and then pointed out in the claims. V r

In the drawings illustrating the invenwhich like a diagrammatic longitudinal'sectionpf a submarine torpedo boat embodying my 1nventioiL, Fig. 2- is a front view of the multiple valve casing, the valves anr operating lever being omitted. 3 is a diagram matic transverse section of the boat drawn on a larger scale on the irregular line a-a of Fig 1. Fig. 4 is a detail section dram-n on a larger on the line b-b of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a vertical'transverse section drawn through the multiple valve casing on the line c-- c of (5, the upper endof the operating lever being broken away. Fig. (3 is a horizontal section drawn on theline center or main ballasttank 2 and in its ends the usual fore and aft trimming tanks 3 and 4, respectively. lVater ballast is ad mitted to the main ballast tank 2 through a manifold 5, the admission of water to the manifold being controlled by an outwardly opening-sea valve 6, and from the manifold to the said tank 2 through an openin oontrolled by an inwardly opening valve the stems" of the valves being extended into the usual manner. Water ballast is admitted to the trimming tanks through sea-"el es (not shown) in the usual manner. "Built upon. the top .of the main ballast tank'and at the sides of the boat are ballast tanks 8, of substantially the same length as the main ballast tank, and into which water is let' to effect the final reserve of buoyancy ofthe boat when submerging and which I shall hereafter refer to as final adjusting tanks.

working compartment of the boat in the The tanks}? are connected bya pipe 9 ar- Y ranged in and extending transversely of the .niain ballast tank and having its ends extended upwjardly and opening through the topof' the main ballast tank 2-. The pipe 9 is provided with a union to which is connected a supplv pipelO extending firom the manifold 5. The passage through the pipe 1C is controlled by a valve. 11, the stem 11 of which extends upwardly through the top of the main ballast tank. and has its upperend arra'nged vfor engagem at by an operv ating lever as will be herei af er described. The tops of the tanks 8 are connected Iowa pipe 12- having a vent pipe 13 extending therefrom which is provided with a valve 14 which is alsoarranged for engagement by the operating lever to vent the'said tanks 8 when {water ballast is admitted to them.- The pipe'12 is connected toa compressed air supply pipe 12 e xtending from asuitable source of-compressed air supply (not shown) for blowing water from the tanks drawal 1nd i rr 'i 'lcd with a valve 15 for contmlling the admission of air to the tanks. fm' vard and aft trimming tanks are connected by a vent pipe 3 hlCll is arranged in the s perstructure in the usual manner.

The forwa d and after trimming tanks are connected by pipes 17 and 1?, respectively which have their inner ends connected to my improved multiple valve 18 which controls the admission to and withoi. water from the said tanks, and the transferring of water from one tank to the other, and also controls the contents of the final adjusting tanks. The valve 18 compr ses a casing having an annular passage 1 and a series of compartments 20, 21 and which partly surround the'periphery of the annular prssage. and directly below the annular passage the casing is formed with compartments or passages 23, F1 and 25. The passages 23 and 25 communicate with the annular passage 19 through openings controlled by valves 27 and 28, and Q9 and 30, respectively, and the passage 21 communicates with the said passage 19 through an opning controlled by a valve 31. Below the passages .20, 21 and 22, the casing is formed with a passage 32 which is. extended around to the rear side of the easing and communicates with the annular passage 19 through an opening controlled by a valve 33 the latter opening and its valve being arranged diametrically opposite the valve 31. The passage 32'also communicates with the passage 21 through openings controlled by valves 34, 35 arid 36, and with the passages 20 and 22 through openings which are controlled by valves 37 and 38, nesectively. As shown, the valves 31, nut 35, are arranged in, transverse alinement. and the valves 7 and 3?; 2 and 34; '29 and 36. and 30 and 38, respectively, are arranged in radial alinement and are (lesigned to be operated together as will he hereinafter described.

The annular p age 19 is connected by a pipe 39 with the intake of a suction pump 4-). and .i'rom the discharge of the pump extends a pipe -11 which is connected to the passage 3'2. \Vhcn submerging the boat, and during the time of adjustment of trim and buoyancy, the pump is continuously operated, and for thepur tiose of illustration I show it. geared to a motor 'l0,shown in Fig. 1. The pipe 17 extending from the forward trimming tank 3 is connected to the passage o the valve casing and is provided with a branch pipe 432 wh ch extends to the passage 9.0, while the pipe 17 extending from the after triiinmingtank 4 opens into the passa-geQ? and is'provided with an extension 41 which opens into the passage From the passage 24 extends a pipe 4-5 Figs. 2, 3 and a, which passes through the top of the main ballast tank and has its lower end connected to the pipe 9 connecting the final adjusting tasks 8, and from the passage 21. extends a pipe 46 which also passes downwardly through the top of the main ballast tank and has its lower end connected to the supply pipe 10 leading from the manifold 5.

Extending upwardly from the center of the valve casing, that is to say, from the axial center of the annular passage 19 thereof, is a cylindrical pivotal post 17 upon which is rotatably mounted a sleeve 48 having diametrically disposed lugs adjacent to its upper end to which are pivotally connected the parallel horizontally disposed arms 40 of an operating lever 50 by which the several valves of the casing are operated. The handle of the lever is extended u 'nvardly and at an obtuse angle from the horizontal arms 49. and is provided with a lug 4-9 which is designed for engagement with the stem of the valve 14 whereby to open the valve to vent the tanks 8 when the lever is operated to admit water to the tanks. The sleeve 48'is formed with diametrically disposed ears 51 to which are connected the opposite ends of a segmental bar 52 having peripheral recesses or notches to receive the tooth of a locking pawl 53 pivoted in lugs extending from the parallel arms of the lever, and to which is connected the lower end of aconnecting rod extending from an operating handle 51 pivoted to the handle end of. the operating lever 50. A spring 55, .Fig. 5, serves to hold the pawl into engagement with the recesses of the bar 52.

The rear ends of the parallel arms 49 are connected by a segmentalbar 56 which operates over the upper end of the stem of the valve and from extends a finger 5G which is designed to engage the upper end of the stem 11' of the valve 11. As shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the upper end of the valve stem 11' is held in a guide 18 extending from the valve casing 18 and between which and a nut threaded on the stem 11 holding the valve 11 normally to its seat. The forward ends of the parallel arms 45) coi'iverge and terminate in a single arm 58 which extend therefrom in longitudinal alincment with the finger 56. The nger 5-3 o 'ieratc o er a segmental guide plate (30 which s formed w th a notch 60, Figs. 5

.ia'iangrd ail cent to the stem 11' of "L? 11, and which permits the operati n of the l'pvcr to admit water to the final adjusting tanks only when the lower end of the have: is a'ranged trans ersely of the valve casing as will lge clearly understood from the general dose:- ption of the operation of the invention. The forward end of the arm 58 operates over a segmental guide the segmental bar 56 is interposed aspring for bar 62 which is arranged around the front of the valve casing and is provided in its upper end with notches 62 dis osed in radial alinement with the stems 0 the several pairs of co-acting valves of the casing 18.

As the valves of the casing 18 are each constructed alike the description of one will suffice for all. Each valve (Fig. 10), has its stem held in a valve cage 70, having its lower end slightly tapered to snugly fit a tapered opening formed in the partition 71 of the valve casing which separates the upper and lower passages in the latter'and has its lower end ground to provide a valve seat against which the valve operates. The stem of the valve passes'upwardly through the top of the cage and through a stuffing brx 73 formed on a plate 71 secured to the top of the valve casing. The lower face of the plate is formed with a circular flange which snugly fits the opening in the top of the valve casing, through which the valve is inserted in the casing, and is seated against the top of the valve cage to thus securely hold the valve cage in position. The lower side of the plate is formed with a circular recess which surrounds the flange and in which is held a washer of suitable material to rovide a sealed joint around the opening 1n the top of the valve casing. As shown, the valves are held to their seats by coiled springs 77 which surround the upper ends of the valve stems and bear against the tops of the stuffing boxes 7 3 and against nuts screwed on the upper ends of the said stems.

The operation of the invention is as follows: It may first be stated that it is the general practice in submerging all submarilio boats to first admit suflicient water to the main ballast tank and the auxiliary and trimming tanks to reduce the buoyancv of the boat to within about one thousand pounds of its total displacement, after which additional quantities of water are let into the linal adjusting tank to further reduce the buoyancy to about five hundred pounds of total displacement, under which condition the boat is operated submerged, it being understood that it is forced under the water by the horizontal rudders and hydroplanes as it is propelled through the water. \Ve will assume therefore, that sufficient water ballast has been admitted to the several tanks to put the boat in the awash condition, with a reserve of buoyancy of about one thousand pounds and it is desired to further reduce the buoyance to put it in subiner ing trim. It will be understood, that w 'en the boat is in the awash condition the valve casing passages and the pipes extending therefrom are full of water and that when the lower end of the operating lever is in horizontal position the valve 33 is held open so that when the pump 10 is set in motion the water will be drawn into the pump from the passage 19 through the suction pipe 39, and thence forced through the pipe 41 into the passage 32 from which it escapes through the valve 33 back into the passage 19. Now, should the command be giuen to submerge to five hundred pounds buoyancy, the operator pushes the operating handle of the lever over to cause the finger 5 6 to push the valve stem 11' downwardly to open the valve 11 and at the same time to cause the lug 4-9 to engage the stem of and open the vent valve 14 thus permittin the water of flotation to flow into the nal adjusting tanks, the amount, of course, being indicated by the gages (n t shown) in the usual manner. When the required amount of water has been admitted to the said tanks the operator then draws the handle of the lever toward him which permits the valve 11 to be automatically seated to thus cut off the admission of water to the tanks. Should the boat be trimmed bythe stern and the command be given to' submerge to five hundred pounds buoyancy and trim one degree by the head, the operator after first admitting water-ballast to the adjusting tanks, as previously described, throws the operating lever around until the arm 58 is ad usted over the upper ends of the stems of the valves 27 and 37, and then pulls the handle end of the lever over to cause the arm 58 to engage the stems of and open said valves, which movement simultaneously lifts the segmental bar 56 from engagement with the stem'of the valve 33 to permit the latter to be automatically seated by its spring, thus cutting off the communication between the passages 19 and 32 through the said valve, and establishing communication between the after trimming tank 4 and the passage 19 through the valve 27 so that the water from said tank 4 will be drawn through the pipe 17, the valve 27, the passage 19, and the pipe 39 into the pump 40, and from the pump it will be forced-through the discharge pipe 41 into the passage 32, through the said passage up through the valve 37, and thence through the pipes 42'and 17 into the forward trimming tank 3.

'hen the required quantity of water has been transferred to the forward tank the lever is again adjusted to permit the valves 27 and 37 to be seated and to cause the segmental bar 56 to engage the stem of and open the valve 33 to thus cut off communication between the said tanks and to reestablish communication between the passages 19 and 32 through the pump as previously described. To transfer water from the forward trimming tank to the after trimming tank the lever is swung around on its sup-.-

port so that the arm 58 will be adjusted over through the pipe 39 into the passage the upper ends of the stems of the valves 30 and 38, then, when the valves are opened. Water will be drawnjrom the tank *1 through the p pe 17, into the passage 33, thence thrc h the valve 30 into the i'iassage J and trrough the pipe 39 into the pump t0, from vich it is forced through the pipe 41. into the passage 32, thence through the valve 38 into the passage 22 and through the pipes 4-4 and 1.7 into the after tank 1. To pump water overboard from the forward and a l ter trimming tanks in order to regulate the trim or to compensate for the discharge of torpedoes, I proceed as followsz-Assuming that water to be pumped overboard from the forward trimming tank 3, the lever is rotated on its support to position the arm 58 over the stems of the valves 29 and 36, and when the lever is operated to upon said valves the valve will be allowed to automatically seat. and the Water from the tank 3 will then be drawn through the pipe 17 into the passage 25. throiigh the valve 29 into the annular passage 19, thence through the pipe 39, into the pump 40, from which it is forced through the pipe 41 into the pas sage 32, thence throrgh the valve 36 into the passage 21, thence through the pipe to into the manifold 5, and out througl'i the opening controlled by the valve 6, it being undcrstood, of course. that as in all submarine boats the sea valve 6 open during the entire time the boat is submerged. To pump Water overboard from the alter tank 1, the operating lever is r tated so as to position its arm 58 over the upper ends of the stems oi the valves 98 and 31, and when the said valves are open the water will be withd awn from the said tank through the pipe 17 into the chamber thence through the valve 2? into the annular cl'iamlicr or passage 19, into the pump l0. from which it forced through the pipe -11 into the passage 32. thence throngh the valve 3% 2i. and then through the pipe 16 into and throi'gh the inanifold 5.

As will be noted. the description of the x eration of the apparatus so far given :i to the admission of water to the linal adiusb ing tanks and to the mutual of th content of the forward and after tr mming tanic'r In order to increase the buoyancy thr 5.. and to maintain a un form amount oi re serve huovanov il'l'iout tllrtlil'illlgf the ositents of the main 0. auxiliarv tanks. 1 pr ceen' as l'olloe t-.\ssuming that through the suhuicrgiuuj operations the hoot in ii.- 1(f-(2.'(i linovanrv wil end to sax. l in h m drcd pounds. and t is dc .rcd ti. giic i on" hundred pounds additional hu vzii in th or-crating lever is adiustrri to ti position shonn in Fig. t In wh ch the arm J ill be adinslcd 0* or link no ccurl. of the sicn'is of the valics 31 and 3. so that alien t ie icver is drawn forwardly to open the said valves,

water will be drawn from the final adjusting tanks 8 through the pipes 9 and 45, into the passage 24, thcncelth-rough the valve 251 into the annular passage 15) and through the pipe 39 into the pump 40. from which it will be forced out through the pipe 41. into the passage 32, thence up through the valve 35, through the the manifo d 5. ater may also a forced from the final adjusting tanks 8 by compressed air which is led into the tops of the tanks through the pipe 12 as shown. It will thus be seen that the operation is exceedingly simple ud requires the services of but one man to control the admission and pumping of water to and from the final ad- -justing tanks whereby to control the buoyancy ol' the boat and to control the cri'itcnts ot the forward and aft trimming tanks and to transfer water from one tank to the other wherrlrv to control the forward and all trim of the boat. It will also be seen that by the use of my apparatus it is necessary to conncct each tank by a single pipe only through which the water is pumped into and out of the tanks. thus dispensing with the inlet and outlet pipes now employed for thispurpose.

While 1 have shown and described the boat constructed with two final adjusting tanks I do not want to he understood as limiting mvself to' this construction as it will be apparent that the apparatus may be used to equal ailvantage in boats employing only one linal adjusting tank in connection wi h the other auxiliary tanks if desired.

- In Fig. 6. I have applied the reference characters of the valve to their stem in order to a void multiplicity of reference numerals on the drawings.

What 1 claim 1. The combination with a submarine boat having forward and aft trimming tanks piped togethrr and to the water of flotation, ol :1 in'zltiple valve interposed in said pipes and inning a plurality of passages to which the said pipes are connected. and a common m ans for operating said valves.

2. The con'ib nation with a submarine boat luring forward and aft trimming tanks in the how and stern respectively tlllLi water pcs connected to said tanks. of a pump, a alue casing having a plurality of pas wore to ,which said pipes are connected. a l): piped to the water of flotation and t i normally nommunicating passages piped to said pump. valves controlling the flow l water hough said p issags. and a com- :iir-a foi opwating said valves for i "no s pcc lied i .3. l ne comb nation with a submarine boat having, forward and at? trimming tanks in the hoand stern respectively and water wipe? mnnecting said tanks. of a pump. a \filv wing ha ing a plurality of passages to which said pipesare connected, a paspipe 46, and into and through ling the flow of water through V i l pussagrs p pcd to soul rinks. uK-i .i ltwcl 't and aft humping irks in tin ho" and M rit i'zpcctiv'clv. and a iinal adius ii g tank. of a pump. a valve ca! ilntill'j conuuun cat ng luiSr rliffi'ra piped o iid pumo. a plurality of pa piped to the sad tanks. and a passage pipi i to water flotation. valves controi ow of water ii!i "li the said pass 'w tho pump. and the pipes. a valve con: rolled ionricct irj the ater of iiotatuii'. with -ill i-diu i'ing tank. and l coin l'itt ilg aii :f the said led. 7 live comhinat '2 with a suhiuarim; boat i i irg forward ll trimming Links in th lion and stern rcpcctivciy. and a linal 9d ng tank g a val e 'ontrolicd of a pump. ;l\ c m i'rair having an lui' p;115;a:gv if cd to tl--= in et of the and a passage I pipid to the outic. imp and miui'nuni atiLg w th said 12). a IlUI imllV open valve z the unmunication bctwecll said A and 31. said casing-; aim having s 2 and i3 comn'iunicating with said passages and which are piped to the 1 .2 aiming tanks. a passage 24 connected tua tiaal ad usting tanl; pipe, two pas- ;ZU and 22 communicating with the wJi- 32 and which are connected with the homing tank pip-Is. and a passage 21 nunicating with the passage 3; and s x is piped to iii! water of flotation,

-ntroliing the commauication: .em 1nd passages. and a common iever o; Cztiiljl the va xc i3. 'lina combination v m: a submarine boat having i'orward and trimming tanks pipr-d to each'othw. of i pun-g). a valve casing interposed in said pipe and having communicating \vatcr passages connected with said pump and a water passage piped to the water of flotation. a normally open valve controlling the communication between the pasages connected with the pump, val\cs controlling the passage of water through said tank pipes and through the pipe extending to the watci of flotation. and a common cver for operating all of said \alws for the purposes specified.

T. The tumliination with a submarine boat inning forward and :1 trinuning tanks in the l ow and stern rtfSlfitt'tit' ilf and fina ad ni i.; taniw. and a p jus ting tanks at the amidships section of the ho it and a valve controlicil pipe connecting id final adj nting tanks with the water of i t it ou. oi a pump. a v i casing having wnonuuii itiiig passrg s piped to said pl: an .i n: uiit vol pas pi-il tosaid ti gr connected to o l ading to said final adiusting tiniialiee ontrolling' the lion of water through said l itkffiig c communi ating with the scv cral tanks and the pump. a valve controlled vent ior the said final adjusting tanks. and a ommon nuans for operating all of the said valves. suhstantiallv as specified.

S. The con'ihinatioi'l with a Slllll'fitl'iz'ii. boat having i'orvvurd and aft. trimming tanks in th l mv and stern rcspr tivclv. and final adjusting tanlw at the amidships section of the hoat. and a valve controlled pipe connecting aid iiual adjusting tanks with the water of flotation. of a pump. a valve casing having a piuralitv of communicating passages piped to said trimming tanks and said final adiusting tanks. communicating passages piped to said pump. and a passage piped to the water of flotation. a normally open valve controlling the communication betwccn the passages loading to the pump. and normally closed valves controlling the communications between the several passages communicating with the said tank pipes. 21 valve controlled vent for the said trimming tanks. a rotatable control lever pivotally mounted on said valve casing and having a horizontal member adapted for engagement with the stems of all of said valves. said lever being also adapted to operate said vent valve. substantially as and for the purpose specified.

9. Apparatus for controlling the contents of the forward and aft trimming tanks and the final adjusting tank of submarine boats. comprising a pump. a valve casing having a plurality of valve controlled passages piped to said tanks to said pump and to the water oi flotation. and a common means for operating all of said valves as specified.

10. Apparatus for controlling the contents of tho forward and aft trimming tanks and the final adjusting tank or tanks of submarine boats, comprising a pump. a valve casing having a plurality of valve controlled passages piped to said tanks. a who controlled pipe connecting the said final adiusting tank or tanks with the water of flotation. and a common means for operating all of the said valves.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 4th day of June. A. I). 1914.

SIMON LAKE. \iitncsses' Jamzs A. PEAsE, VAL-FER S. Jonas. 

